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Forty is a nice, round number figure for automakers to toss around, and Hyundai used that to their marketing advantage by claiming that four of their cars can hit 40 highway MPGs. But a recent EPA audit has found that Hyundais and Kias haven't been accurately rated, stating "This is the first time where a large number of vehicles from the same manufacturer have deviated so significantly." The EPA says they have only caught two discrepancies since 2012, and in this instance, Hyundai and Kia have agreed to lower almost every fuel economy rating for their 2012 and 2013 model vehicles.

The audits came after a class action lawsuit issued earlier this year by California-based Consumer Watchdog, which sought to affix a government mandated disclosure along with Hyundai's 40 MPG claims. Hyundai denied the allegations at the time, but president and CEO John Krafcik has now responded to the EPA and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration by saying, "Given the importance of fuel efficiency to all of us, we're extremely sorry about these errors."

In addition to the 1 mpg overall drop in combined average fuel economy for Hyundai and Kia (and the fact that none of their cars can now claim 40 mpg on the highway), current owners will receive gas debit cards based on their vehicle's odometer readings which translate to roughly $88 per 15,000 miles driven.